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• Officials say five-storey complex in Lyari housed around 100 people, had already been declared ‘dangerous’
• Rescue efforts hampered by suspension of cellular services
• Karachi mayor stresses need to evacuate hundreds of dilapidated buildings across the metropolis

KARACHI: At least 10 people lost their lives after a high-rise building collapsed in Lyari on Friday, with many more feared to be buried under the rubble, acco­rding to officials and witnesses.

The five-storey building on Fida Husain Shaikha Road in Lea Market had already been declared uninhabitable by authorities due to its dilapidated structure, which was further weakened by recent rains, DIG South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.

Nine bodies and eight injured were brought to the Civil Hospital, the executive director of the hospital’s trauma centre told Dawn.

There were three women among the deceased, Dr Sabir Memon added.

The deceased were identified as Fatima Babu, 55; Prem, 32; Waseem Babu, 35; Hoor Bai Kishan, 55; Prantic Arsi, 21; Sunita Daya, 35; Daya Lal, 40; Wanda Kelash, 13; Arshna Vishal, 24; and Kishan Daya Lal, 72.

The injured were identified as Yusuf Subhan, 50; Rashid Aziz, 25; Chanda Lal, 30; Sanita Chaitan, 30; Kishna Das, 17; Mujeeb Ali, 29; Roshan Islam, 32; and three-month-old Bhabna Rohit.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn the victims sustained crush injuries to the chest and head.

The death toll is expected to rise further, as rescue teams were clearing the debris in search of people late into the night.

Heavy machinery faced difficulty in reaching the site amid the narrow alleys of Lyari, a low-income neighbourhood.

Police even had to baton-charge a crowd that had gathered around the site to make way for machinery, officials added.

The rescue operation was also hampered by the suspension of cellular services for security reasons during the Muharram procession.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told Dawn the incident had reportedly occurred between 9 and 9:30am. However, they said they received the information late due to the suspension of communication networks, he added.

According to DIG Raza, the building named Gada Palace was constructed on a 200-square-yard plot, with four apartments on each floor.

Mr Khan, the Rescue 1122 spokesperson, said there were shops on the ground floor of the building.

Two pillars of the building collapsed early in the morning, around 4am, but the building was still standing, he added.

Although residents evacuated at the time, they later returned to their homes. A few hours later, the entire building collapsed.

A police official told AFP that up to 100 people had been living in the building.

The head of Rescue 1122, DG Dr Abid Jalaluddin Shaikh, said that over 100 personnel, five disaster resp­onse vehicles, two snorkels and cranes, took part in the rescue operation. DIG Raza said there were reports that at least 20 to 25 people were still buried under the debris.

Meanwhile, relatives whose loved ones are still missing were clinging to hope for their survival.

All six members of 70-year-old Jumho Maheshwari’s family were at his flat on the first floor when he left for work early in the morning. “Nothing is left for me now — my family is all trapped and all I can do is pray for their safe recovery,” he told AFP.

Another resident, Maya Sham Jee, said her brother’s family was also trapped under the rubble. “We are helpless and just looking at the rescue workers to bring our loved ones back safely,” she said.

Multiple notices

Speaking to reporters at the site of the incident, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said the government needed to “take action” as there were around 434 buildings in the Old City area that had been declared “dangerous” by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).

In a statement, the authority put the number of such buildings across Karachi at 588, Dawn.com reported. It added the building was declared dangerous after a thorough inspection in October 2022.

The first ejectment notice was issued to residents on June 2, 2023, followed by a second notice on February 28, 2024, and a third notice with a three-day warning to evacuate the building. Public utilities were asked to disconnect services to the building in June 2024, but they didn’t follow the directives, SBCA claimed.

A reminder for ejectment was issued on June 2 with copies sent to the South deputy and assistant comm­issioners and the Kalari station house officer, requesting their intervention to evacuate the premises and prevent any potential incident.

On June 29, the residents were warned via megaphones to evacuate the building immediately.

“Regrettably, the residents were reluctant to vacate the building unless alternate accommodation was provided.”

SBCA officials suspended

Sindh Local Govern­m­ent Minister Saeed Ghani, who visited the site, has formed a committee to in­­vestigate the incident and report within three days.

The minister also suspended officials of the SBCA over their alleged negligence. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has soug­­ht a report about the incident.

He directed the SBCA to identify dilapidated buildings in the metropolis and evacuate them.

With input from AFP

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025

WASHINGTON: With less than a week to go before the July 9 deadline, Pakistan and the United States have concluded a critical round of trade negotiations, reaching an understanding on a deal that could shape the future of the country’s key export sectors.

The Pakistani delegation, led by Commerce Secretary Jawad Paal, was scheduled to return on Friday after completing four days of talks in Washington.

While both sides have reached an understanding, a formal announcement is expected only after the US concludes similar ongoing negotiations with other trade partners.

The delegation arrived in Washington on Monday with the aim of finalising a long-term reciprocal tariff agreement that would prevent the re-imposition of a 29 per cent tariff on Pakistani exports — primarily textiles and agricultural products.

Formal announcement expected once Washington wraps up talks with other nations

The tariff relief, temporarily paused earlier this year, was at risk of expiring if no progress had been made by the July 9 deadline.

Officials familiar with the negotiations say the talks were successful, with both sides agreeing to a broad framework.

The agreement, when signed, could lead to incre­ased Pakistani imports of US goods — notably crude oil — and potential Ameri­can investment in Pakistan’s mining, energy, and infrastructure sectors.

Projects like the Reko Diq copper and gold mine and related energy infrastructure were a focus of the discussions. The deal could also pave the way for expanded engagement through the US Export-Import Bank.

Although US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had earlier indicated that Washington might allow limited flexibility on the deadline if meaningful pro­g­ress was evident, Pakistani officials say they pushed for early completion to remove uncertainty for exporters and investors.

Officials remain optimistic that the agreement will sustain Pakistan’s access to the US market and help reset bilateral economic ties, which had been under strain since the high tariffs were introduced during the Trump administration.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025

• ISPR says several attackers belonging to ‘Indian proxy’ TTP gunned down over two nights
• Hassan Khel area witnessed similar action in April, when around 54 militants were killed while trying to cross into Pakistan
• Army calls on Kabul govt to check use of Afghan soil against Pakistan; ISPR’s official X account ‘reactivated’

PESHAWAR: Security forces on Friday foiled another infiltration attempt from Afghanistan by an ‘Indian proxy’, killing at least 30 terrorists in North Waziristan district, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

In a statement, the military’s media wing said troops detected a large group of terrorists from Fitna al Khwarij — the state’s terminology for the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — attempting to infiltrate the Pak-Afghan border in the Hassan Khel area.

“The security forces effectively engaged and thwarted the militants’ attempt to infiltrate,” the statement read, adding that as a result of a precise and skillful engagement, all the 30 terrorists were gunned down on the nights between July 1-2 and July 2-3 .

A large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives was reportedly recovered from the killed terrorists.

“The security forces demonstrated exceptional professionalism, vigilance and preparedness, and prevented a potential catastrophe,” the ISPR said.

The statement called on Afghanistan’s government to control its side of the border.

“Interim Afghan government also needs to check and prevent the use of Afghan soil by ‘foreign proxies’ for orchestrating militant activities against Pakis­tan,” the ISPR said, adding that security forces remained unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers.

The encounter was the second major incident in the area in the past couple of months.

On April 27, security forces killed 54 militants in what the military billed as the single-biggest blow to the TTP and its affiliates.

That engagement also occurred in Hassan Khel, when a group was neutralised while trying to breach the Pak-Afghan border.

At the time, the ISPR said intelligence reports indicated that group was infiltrating at the behest of their “foreign masters” to conduct high-profile terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

The ISPR also claimed that it was the highest number of militants killed by the security forces in a single engagement during the entire campaign against terrorism.

The persistent infiltration attempts highlight ongoing security concerns that prompted a high-level meeting in January.

On Jan 13, political leaders met with the Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, expressing concerns over the law and order situation in the province.

According to sources privy to the meeting, the political leadership asked the military to engage with Afghanistan to address Pakistan’s internal security problems and urged the full implementation of the country’s National Action Plan against terrorism.

Separately, the ISPR’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account became active once again. The account, which last posted in 2023, was updated on Friday with the official statement regarding the N. Waziristan incident.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday finally announced the schedule for the long-overdue Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, setting July 21 as the polling date.

The much-delayed but suspenseful exercise will see elections on 11 seats — seven general and two each reserved for women, ulema and technocrats.

Experts believe the outcome will hinge on how PTI-backed and JUI-F members vote. If the opposition remains united and PTI-backed members strictly follow party discipline — with JUI-F support — the ruling coalition may win only one general seat.

However, the scenario would shift dramatically if some PTI members break ranks and JUI-F strikes a deal with the ruling coalition. In that case, the coalition might bag around five seats, potentially gaining a two-thirds majority in the upper house of parliament. JUI-F already holds five seats in the Senate.

Currently, the ruling coalition has 54 members in the 96-member Senate — 10 short of the two-thirds majority (64 seats).

Polling for the 11 KP Senate seats will be held on July 21, while a separate election for the seat vacated by Senator Sania Nishtar is scheduled for July 31.

According to an ECP statement, the Senate elections in KP were delayed due to an incomplete electoral college. The schedule was announced two days after 25 reserved seats — originally allocated to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) — were redistributed among parties, including PML-N, PPP, JUI-F, PTI-P and ANP.

The elections were earlier postponed in April 2024, exacerbating political uncertainty in the province. Polling for another Senate seat — vacated after the death of Professor Sajid Mir — will also take place on July 21.

An ECP spokesperson said letters have been sent to the speakers of national and provincial assemblies, requesting the oath-taking of members elected on reserved seats and notified on July 2, 2025. This is to ensure they can assume office and vote in the Senate elections in KP and Punjab.

It may be recalled that Senate elections in KP were previously postponed on April 2, 2024, due to the speaker’s refusal to administer oath to newly elected members on reserved seats.

A fresh notification reads: “In continuation of the earlier notification dated April 2, 2024, whereby the poll date for Senate elections from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province against seven general seats, two women seats, and two technocrats including ulema seats was postponed, the Election Commission of Pakistan hereby appoints July 21, 2025, as the poll date for the said Senate election.”

The ECP has also issued a detailed schedule for the seat vacated by Dr Sania Nishtar. The public notice will be issued on July 9, nomination papers can be submitted on July 10 and 11, scrutiny will be held on July 16, and polling will take place on July 31. The former PTI lawmaker had resigned in October last year, but her seat was declared vacant on March 10 this year.

Furthermore, a notification has been issued for the election to the seat left vacant by the demise of PML-N Senator Professor Sajid Mir. The revised list of candidates will be issued on July 15, nomination withdrawals are allowed until July 16, and polling will be held on July 21 at the Punjab Assembly building.

In addition, an election schedule has been issued for two vacant seats reserved for PML-N women from KP in the National Assembly. The returning officer will issue a public notice on July 8; nomination papers can be submitted on July 9 and 10; scrutiny will take place on July 14; and the final list of candidates will be released on July 24. The PML-N’s previous priority list has been exhausted, and a new one must be submitted to the priority list counting officer by July 10.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court has raised serious concerns over the systemic failure of law enforcement in tackling the narcotics trade beyond its most vulnerable participants, observing that prosecutions overwhelmingly target only drug “carriers” – mostly from underprivileged backgrounds – while major perpetrators remain untouched.

The observations came in a 17-page written judgment authored by Justice Athar Minallah, in which the court acquitted two individuals who had earlier been sentenced to life imprisonment in a narcotics case.

The ruling was issued by a three-member bench headed by Justice Minallah, and comprising Justice Irfan Saadat Khan and Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan.

“There are several law-enforcement agencies vested with powers to apprehend and prosecute those who are involved in the crimes relating to narcotic drugs, including a special agency, the Anti-Narcotics Force established under the Act of 1997,” the verdict notes.

The judgment calls into question the effectiveness of these institutions, particularly when viewed against the scale and pervasiveness of the drug menace.

“The people of Pakistan have to bear the financial burden for maintaining these law enforcement agencies entrusted with the onerous task to eradicate the menace of narcotic drugs from the society. Have they achieved their designated goal? The answer is an emphatic ‘No’,” it reads.

The court further lamented the growing spread of narcotics across the country, stating: “The evil of narcotic drugs has spread throughout the country and it cannot be disputed that it has reached the educational institutions where they are freely accessible.”

The bench pointed out that even in the few cases where arrests are made, prosecutions often do not result in convictions, raising further doubts about the integrity and professionalism of investigative processes.

“The law enforcement agencies have not gone beyond arresting carriers and then, in many cases, failing to prove the guilt even to their extent. If the society has to be freed from the evil of narcotic drugs then each law enforcement agency has to perform effectively and in the most professional manner.”

“They have to be held accountable for their omissions and lapses committed during the investigations or while prosecuting a case. The future generations cannot be exposed to the menace of narcotic drugs merely because the several law enforcement agencies entrusted with the onerous duty to free the society from this evil fail to perform effectively or are seen as complicit.

“The buck stops with the Federal and Provincial Governments, as the case may be, because they are ultimately responsible for the overall and general supervision of the law enforcement agencies. The responsibility does not end with the Executive branch of the State because the Judicial branch is also equally responsible in ensuring that the trial is conducted fairly and that a just decision is reached.

“This case also shows that the trial court had failed in exercising its powers vested under the law.

“We, therefore, expect that the Government of Sindh which, according to section 5 (1) of the Act of 2009, exercises general superintendence over the Prosecution Service and is responsible for ensuring achievement of the objectives of the Act of 2009, will take effective steps so that cases involving crimes relating to narcotic substances are dealt with effectively and in accordance with the duties and responsibilities of the investigators and Prosecutors.

“The Prosecutor General Sindh is expected to examine this case and take appropriate action so that the omissions observed in this case are not repeated. The prosecutor General is further advised to consider issuing guidelines in exercise of its functions under section 9-A (1) of the Act of 2009 for the Prosecutors and officers responsible for investigations relating to effective and efficient prosecution.

The High Court is also expected to consider laying down a policy of regular training of judicial officers relating to conducting of criminal trials. The order also said that this case has emanated from the province of Sindh where the Provincial Assembly of Sindh has promulgated and enacted the Sindh Criminal Prosecution Service (Constitution Functions and Powers) Act 2009.

“The Criminal Prosecution Service of Sindh has been established under this legislation. The Act of 2009 sets out the powers, functions and responsibilities of the prosecution service in conducting prosecutions on behalf of the Government.

“The administration of this service vests in the Government. Section 9 (1) explicitly provides that the Prosecutors shall be responsible for the conducting of prosecutions on behalf of the Government. The Prosecutor General is empowered under section 9-A (1) to issue general guidelines for the Prosecutors or officers responsible for investigation for effective and efficient prosecution.